Advertising device



ec. ZI, 1937.

C. .ERABEK ADVERTISING DEVICE 6 Sheets-Sheet l www Dec. 2L 1937. c.JERABEK ADVERTISING DEVICE Filed June 1, 1936 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Dec.. 2l,i937. c. JER'ABEK ADVERTISING lDEVICE 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed June 1 195eDe@ 2i, 1937. 4 CTJERABEK vADVERTISING DEVICE Filed Jme 1, 195e 6shets-sheet 4 my' 3 l (ma f5 eff/@455m Maf/1550 Dec. 2l, 1937. C,JERABEK ADVERTISING DEVICE Filed June l, 1956 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 LII jAllele' 2.,;

Dec. 2l, E937. Q JERABEK ZQIZJQS ADVERTISING DEVICE Filed June l, 1936 6Sheets-Sheet 6 Patented Dec. 21, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEy2,102,798 ADVERTISING DEVICE` adelphia, Pa.

Application June 1, 1936, Serial No. 82,822

3 Claims.

The invention relates to an advertising device of such construction andnature that it may readily be located in waiting rooms, subway stations,lobbies of hotels or amusement places, in trains, buses or street cars,in show windows, or on thestreet or hillside in view of the multitudes,or anywhere appropriate or desirable.

An object of the invention is to provide a device that is simple inconstruction, reliable and 10 automatic in operation, whereby a seriesof cards,

or mats, bearing advertising matter, samples of materials,announcements, patterns, or articles oi merchandise, may be successivelydisplayed,

each being exposed to view for a predetermined i5 length of time.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the natureherein described adaptable to construction in any dimensions desiredfrom the small device suitable for the show window or street car to oneof proportions equal or greater than those of the huge billboards oftenseen on the hilltop or atop large buildings.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of the naturedescribed wherein attractive illumination features may be provided andcontrolled by the'same actuating mechanism as causes the displayportions to be successively exposed to view. n l

A still further object of the invention is to provide a device of thenature described that is cheap, simple-and effective in construction,with parts that may be stamped, punched, formed, or cut from standardmaterial such as sheets, bars and rods of metal or other suitablematerial,- on a production basis thus eliminating, as much as possible,expensive castings and special hand made and commercially complicatedparts.

A still further object ofthe invention is to provide a device of thenature described that is com- ,m pact and requires a minimum of spacefor the actuating mechanism and storage of a large number of displays,and yet readily accessible for adjustment, inspection and relling.

Other objects of the invention reside in they ,15 novel fea-tures of themechanism and system hereinafter described and claimed.

The device preferably is formed of a framework provided with a pair ofendless guideways arranged in parallel relation on opposite sides of 50the framework in which the rods of card-supporting frames are adapted toride in a continuous journey up and down the vertical portions of theguideways by means of elevating mechamsm, andv from rear to front at thetop and front to rear at the bottom by gravity. The

(Cl. L1:0-36) portion of the guideway extending from Vfront to rear atthe top, as well as a similar butoppositely inclined portion at thebottom, is utilized as magazine space, thus providing two magazines eachholding a plurality of card-supprtln'g frames. The card in the foremostcard-supporting frame in the upper magazine is exposed to view for apredetermined time and then passes down the vertical portion of thefrontguideways to the lower magazine where it awaits its turn 10 to beelevated to the rear of the upper magazine. By means of a system ofillumination properly timed and actuated by the card-changing mechanismthe exposed card may be lowered duringa period when there is noillumination and various 15 combinations of lights and colorsintroducedl during the time a card is exposed to viewcorrelated, ifdesired, with the subject matter of the card. The arrangement of thecards in the upperv and lower magazines permits a large number of cardsVto be carried in much smaller space horizontally than if carried in asingle bank. y f

For a better understanding of the vi'rver'ition reference is to be hadto theaccompanying drawnigs forming a part of this specification' in 25which;

Fig. 1 is a front elevation taken on line I--l of Fig. 3, showing theenclosing casing 6l' partly in section.

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation taken on line 2'-,2 30

the upper and lower magazines, and the e- 3:5

closing casing in section.

Fig. 4 is a side elevation with the enclosing casing removed, showing`the card elevating mechanism andthe light switch actuating' cams.

Fig. 5 is a side elevation Vshowing tl lightrzioy actuating switches andalso the elevating mech7- anism in position to elevate a card frame fromthe lower to the upper magazine. v

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary View, somewhatY enlarged, of a sectional sideelevation taken r'i|` 45 line of Fig. 9, showing the card frames in'their respective magazines withV the elevating".v mechanism about toelevate a cai-d frame fromthe lower to the upper magazine. ,Y y

Fig. '7 is a fragmentary sectional view, soin what enlarged, of a sideelevation taken'oili e- 1-1 of Fig. 9, showing the reduced diametrlcal`bearing portions of the card frame sulpporti'rA rods.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged, fragmentary,sectioaf'gg side elevation taken online 8-8 of Fig. 9 of the latch mechanism in the upper magazine, showingthe card frame rods in position and the elevator approaching to open thelatch and permit the foremost rod to drop into the elevator slideA Fig.9 is an enlarged partial plan view, partly in section, taken on line 9-9of Fig. 6, indicating the position of one of the card frame supportingrods in the upper magazine and showing the latch mechanism adapted toprevent this rod from falling down the front vertical guideway until theelevator arrives at its uppermost position to receive it, and alsoshowing the upper magazine guideway and the front and rear verticalguideways.

Fig. 10 is an enlarged partial plan View, partly in section, taken atthe lower magazine on line Ill-I0 of Fig. 6, showing the lower magazineguideway, withy the rear guideways in section.

Fig. 11 is a section taken on line II--II of Fig. 6 through the loadingslot, and also indicating the end of the card frame rod and its relativeposition as it enters the loading slot.

Fig. 12 shows one of the card supporting frames and its supporting rod.

Fig. 13 is a section taken on line I3-I3 of Fig. 12 showing a means forattaching the card frame to the supporting rod.

Fig. 14 is a partial sectional view taken on line I4--I4 of Fig. 4showing the elevator actuating drum with its associated pinion and rackin section.

, Fig. 15 is a partial sectional View taken on line I5-I5 of Fig. 4,showing the electric switch actuating cams and followers.

Fig.l 16 is an elevational perspective view of the casing for enclosingthe mechanism,

Fig. 17 shows a wiring diagram or system of connections for theilluminating lamps, together with a diagrammatic representation of theactuating cams, their driving mechanism and switches.

Secured to a base I, Figure 1, of wood, metal or any other suitablematerial, is a framework composed of side portions 2 and 2a eachconsisting of an upper and lower plate or sheet of steel, aluminum orother suitable metal, rigidly7 secured in spaced relation at the top bymeans of a spacing rod 3 and bracket 3a, and at the bottom by means ofspacing rods 4 and 4a, Figures 1, 2, 3,

'and' 15. The lower end of each upper side plate and the upper end ofeach lower side plate is cut at a suitable angle and the upper and lowerside plates on each side are spaced a suitable distance one above theother to form a parallel pair of inclined guideways or grooves 5 and 5a,Figures 3 and 4, inclined toward the rear comprising the lower magazineand forming a bearing surface for the ends of the card frame supportingrods 35. The upper end of each upper side plate is also cut at asuitable angle to form a parallel pair of inclined guideways 6 and 6a,YFigures 3 and 4, inclined toward the front, comprising the uppermagazine and forming a bearing surface for the ends of the card framesupporting rods 35, The upper and lower side plates on each side havetheir front and rear vertical edges further strengthened by means offlat strips 1, la, and 'Ib and plates 8, Figure 9, which are securedtogether and to the side plates 2 and 2a by riveting,

Y spot welding or otherwise, and run practically throughout the entirevertical length of the side plates. This form of corner constructionprovides a guideway or slot 9 at each of the four corners of theframework in which the extreme end portions or heads of the card framesupporting rods ride and co-acting with upper and lower inclinedguideways 5 and 6 forms an endless guideway around which the cardcarrying frames may travel by means of their supporting rods. Theseslots 9 also form the guideways for the card frame elevators. Verticalplates 8, Figures 4, 6, 8, and 10, are provided with vertical slots I0through which the supporting members or tie plates I2 of the elevatorsoperate.

As shown in Figures 4, 5, and 10, a pair of elevators, one on each ofthe two sides of the framework, are provided each consisting of ahorizontal tie plate II, spacer I2 and slide I3 suitably securedtogether by means of screws or tap-bolts as indicated. The upper endsofthe slides I3 are recessed or concave, as shown in Figures 6 and 7, inorder to center the heads of the card frame supporting rods upon themwhen in contact therewith.

The elevator on each side of the framework is operated by means ofindividual hoist chains I4 and I4an secured at one end to the tie platesI I by means of a bracket I6, or in any other suitable manner as shownin Figures 2, 4, and 5, and cooperating with sprocket wheels I5 and I5aover which they respectively pass and these sprocket wheels are eachsecured to opposite ends of rotatable shaft I'I operating in bearingbrackets V3a. The opposite end of hoist chain I4a is attached to hoistdrum I8, Figures 1, 2, 4, and 14, while the opposite end Yof chain I4 issecured to a counter weight I9, Figures 2, 5, 6, and 7, protected by andoperating Within tube or casing 2U which is supported by being securedat its upper and lower ends to side plate'2. This counter weight servesto keep the hoist chains taut but is sulciently lighter in weight thanthe elevators so as not to interfere with their downward motion by meansof gravity. Hoist drum I8 is secured to drum shaft 2|, suitably providedwith a bearing, to which is also secured a pinion 22 engaging a verticalrack member 23 slideably positioned in bracketV 24 and contacting andco-acting with or following the diametrical contour of actuating cam 25.Thus-whenever cam 25 is rotated in one direction a verticalreciprocating motion will be imparted to rack 23 which in turn willcause engaging pinion 22 and associated hoist drum I8 to rotate rst inone direction and then in the opposite direction, causing chain Illa tobe wound upon the drum and thus causing the elevators, previouslydescribed, to go up and down their line of travel. Cam 25 is secured toor formed by a portion of the hub of gear 26 and secured to shaft 54.Gear 26 engages pinion 2l which in turn is secured to drive shaft 28 tobe rotated at suitable speed by means of a driving motor 29 mounted onand secured to spacing rods 4 and 4a, belt 30, pulley 3|, speedreduction worm 32 and gear 32a which latter is secured to the oppositeend of drive shaft 28.

Card supporting frame 33, Figures 12 and 13, consists of a sheet ofaluminum, celluloid, or other suitable material and provided with a cardretaining groove or channel formed along its lower horizontal and twovertical sides by bending same to form a U-shaped recess 33a Yforretaining in position an advertising card or other display or materialof suitable size that may be dropped or lowered into same from the topof the frame. The card frame 33 is provided at the top with two suitablesuspension brackets 34 and 34a, riveted or otherwise secured to thesheet of which the card-frame is formed. At the upper rposition by meansof cover plate 4I.

end of these brackets and integral therewith a bearing may be formed, asshown in Figure 13, coacting with the corresponding reduced portions 36and 36a respectively of supporting rod 35. Supporting rod 35 may consistof a suitable length of round bar of steel,l bronze or other suitablematerial, provided with'reduced diametrical portions 36 and 36a, and 31and 31a as shown. It will be readily understood that in lieu of the twosuspension brackets 34 and 34a, a single bracket may-be used, or aportion ofthe sheet of material of which thev card vsupporting frame ismade. may be bent .around the'` supporting rod 35 to form a suspensionbearing in which rod 35 may rotate while the card frame proper remainsstationary. The diametrically reduced portions 31 and 31a arerespectively'supported on the upper inclined end of the upper and lowerside plates 2 and 2a whose edges l.engage the reduced portions 31 and31a of rods 35 as clearly shownin Figures 4, 5, 6, and 7.

It will thus be readily understood that if a plurality of cardsupporting frames are placed in the upper and lower magazines 5and 6 byinserting theml inv the rear elevator guideways through angular slots 38and 38a and shifting them around into proper position those so placed inthe upper reservoirwill flow toward the front of the machine due to theinclination of the upper guideways in that direction, and'thosesimilarly placed in the lower 'reservoir will flow toward the rear dueto the inclination of their guideways in a rearward direction. If nowthe driving motor 29 is placed in operation the lchain raised elevators,whose normal position of rest is atl the bottom of the vertical guides,will, by means of their rear slides, elevate the rearmost card framefrom the lower reservoir to the rear of the upper reservoir. Whenthis'card frame rod approaches the upper magazine guideways 6 and 6ait'will force back springs 65'and 65a which are secured to rear verticalmembers 1, Figure 9, and these front covering portion and enclosingcasing, bey

exposed to view until lowered to the lower reservoir where it will awaitits turn to again complete the excursion.

At the top of each of the vertical front guideways 9 a suitable latchmechanism is provided to prevent the card frames in the upper magazinefrom falling down the guideways while the elevator is in a loweredposition. These latcli mechanisms each consist of latchbar 39 slidablymounted on bearing piece 49 fand retained in Bearing piece 40 and coverplate 4l are riveted or otherwise secured together and to the sideplates 2 and 2a, Figures 4, 5, 6, '1, and 8. The upper surface of latchbars 39 is located in parallel position with the upper magazineguideways 6 and 6a but placed slightly below them and are provided withangular ends extending over and thus covering the front elevatorguideways being retained in this position by means of a U shaped spring42 mounted at the center on a bolt their guideways they come kin contactwith the f angular face of sliding latch bolts 39 and force these boltsback sufficiently to uncover the front vertical guideways and permit theforemost card framesupporting rod 35 to slip onto the front elevatorslides. As these elevator slides descend the latch bolts 39 are releasedand slip back into their normal positions again covering the tops of thefront vertical guideways and supporting the new foremost card frame rod35 in front position.

The upper portion of the front side of the A frame work is covered bymeans of a suitable plate or sheet 4,4 of metal or other material,

Figures 1, 2, 'and 3, provided with an opening through which the card inthe foremost upper card frame may be viewed. This plate together with anattached shelf portion 44a supports a plurality of electric lightreceptacles 45, 46, and 41 located along the top, bottom and sides ofthe opening and containing bulbs of any suitable size, color orcombination ofl colors, for the purpose of illuminating the displaymatter`33. These receptacles may be suitablyconnected, -as for example,as shown in Figure 17, to flashswitches 48, 49, and'59, actuated bymeans of rotatable cams 5|, 52, and 53 located on shaft 54 driventhrough proper reduction gears by driving motorl 29. These cams aresecured to shaft 54 by means y of set screws so that their relativerotatable positions may be varied accordingly to permit the bulbs inreceptacles 45, 45, and 41 to be'illuminated at any desired time and inany suitable or desired combination correlated with the position of thedisplay 33.

For example, it may be desirable to have the display 33 lowered from itsposition in front of the upper magazine. to the lower magazine with alllights extinguished andthen as soon as the next display is in positionVto be viewed the upper and lower bank of bulbs, in receptacles 45, ofany suitable color may be ashed on and allowed to burnV for a fewmoments, as they are extinguished the bank of bulbs in receptacles 46,of'another color or combination of colors, may be illuminated followedby bank 41 of still another color and thuskcontinue so long as themechanism is in operation. In this manner color combinations suitable oradapted to the coloring matter of the changeable display 33 may beprovidedand correlated therewith at will.

The detail of the mechanism for operating the flash switches is shown inpart in Figures l, 2, 4, and 15 in which the cams 5|, 52, and 53,respectively, are secured to the same rotatable shaft 54 as are theelevator actuating cam 25 and gear 26. Cam followers 55, 56, and 51,respectively, are formed by suitably bendingone end of each of the rods55a, 56a, and 51a at right angles. 'I'hese rods are passed throughbearing holes in the side plates on each side of the framework and havesuitable brackets 58, 59, and 6D, respectively, secured to theiropposite ends, each of such brackets being adapted with spring-clipportions to hold a switch device of the usual mercury tube arrangementcomprising a sealed glass tube containing a small quantity of mercuryAand twol sealed-in contacts projecting into v the enclosing casing orcover may consist of per# the inner recess of the vglass tube. Whensuchra tube is tilted, in this case by means of the cams 5|, 52, and 53and co-acting followers 55, 56, and

51 acting' through shafts 55a, 56a, and 51a', the Y globule of mercuryflows according to the inclination oi" the tube to either end, and inone inclined position closes the circuit between the pair of sealed-incontacts in one end of the tube, and in the opposite inclined positionthe mercuryV flows away from the contacts and thus opens theirrespective circuits.

An enclosing casing or cover 6l Ymade of suitable sheet material andprovided with Va glass covered window 62, and a pair of ventilators 53,is adapted to be lowered over the top of the mechanism to protect samefrom the natural elements and prevent unauthorized tampering with themechanism. This casing may be secured to the base I by means of screws54 or in any other suitable manner. In the case of large display,

manent portions in which doors, or other suitable openings to permit oiaccess to the interior mechanism may be provided. If desirable, ornecessary, the interior surface of enclosing cover 6l facing the lightbulbs 45, 45, and 41, may be of, or covered with, a good lightreflecting material, or reflectors may be attached or secured thereto,to reect a maximum oflight on display 33. It will also be understoodthat any suitable number and combination of lights and associatedcircuits, switches, and actuating mechanism may be used as desireddepending upon the size and other requirements of any particular deviceof this or similar construction. A terminal block 65, Figure 5, isprovided on one side of the framework to facilitate electricalconnections and for readily altering the operating combinations of thelighting bulbs. In order that the mechanism may be allowed to rest andall illumination dispensed with during any desirable periods, anautomatic main time switch has been provided in the feed line supplyingthe device as shown in Figure 17 at 66. A seco-nd automatic time switch61 has been provided as shown operating only on the illuminating lampcircuit so that illumination may be provided if desired only during thehours oi darkness.

As indicated by the foregoing description this device may be constructedin a very inexpensive but thoroughly practical manner principally ofsuch standard materials as sheets, rods, and bars, by cutting, bending,stamping or otherwise manipulating them as required, and also by the useof Vstandard shafts, gears, pulleys andthe like, of any suitablematerial thus being particularly adapted to rapid and low costproduction methods rather than to the slow cumbersome as= sembly thatwould otherwise prevail were the parts so designed as to require specialcastings, complicated forgings and other special hand formed partsincidental to design of less emciency respective tormanufacturing costs.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as newV and desiredto be secured by Letters Patent is: Y Y

l.V In a device of the character described, the combination comprisingan upper magazine, a lower magazine, a plurality of card carrying framesin each of said magazines, a pair of endless guideways around which saidframes travel, a pair of elevators for elevating said frames from thelower magazine to the upper magazine and for lowering said frames fromthe upper to the lower magazine, and means operated by said elevatorsfor releasing said card frames in the upper magazine to permit them tobe deposited on said elevators.

2. In a device of' the character described, the combination comprisingan upper magazine, a lower magazine, 'a' pluralityv of card carryingframes in each or said magazines, a pair of endless guideways aroundwhich said card frames travel, a pair of elevators for elevating saidcard frames from the lower magazine to the upper magazine and forlowering said card'frames from the upper to the lower magazine, and alatch operated by said elevators for releasing said card frames in theupper magazine to permit them to be deposited on said elevators.

3. In a device of the character described, the combination comprising anupper magazine, a lower magazine, a plurality of card carrying frames insaid magazines, a pair of endless guideways aroundY which said cardframes travel, a

pair of elevators for elevating said card frames from the lower to theupper magazine and for lowering said card frames from the upper to thelower magazine, means for actuating said elevators comprising a, pair ofhoisting chains supported by chain sprockets, a hoist drum upon which'one of said chains is adapted to wind, a rack and pinion cooperatingwith a camV device for imparting a reversible rotative motion to saiddrum, and means for driving said cam.

THERESA JERABEK, Administratrice of the Estateof Charles Jerabelc,

Deceased. Y f

